Facebook is one of the largest social media platforms in the world and the premier online application for Meta Platforms. Previously, Facebook used to be the name of Meta, the parent company that owns some of the world's largest applications, including Instagram. Facebook was created by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004 along with his Harvard friends Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. Initially, the application was designed for use only by college students and named after the directories used to recognize American students.
Over time, Zuckerberg and the other Facebook founders grew the reach of the application universities across North America before allowing access to anyone in the world over the age of 13. The application is available to anyone in the world that has an internet connection through tablets, smartphones, or personal computers. Facebook is considered the most popular online social media application, with nearly 3 billion active monthly users, and is one of the most visited websites in the world.
The application made Zuckerberg the youngest billionaire in history and an influential force in the tech industry. When a user creates a profile, they have the option of sharing their information with their contacts or friends. Users are allowed to post videos, photos, and texts to their page and modify their privacy settings to determine who sees the posts. Moreover, Facebook allows users to communicate directly with one another in direct messages or join public or private common-interest groups.
The application is considered to be one of the most useful technologies in the social media realm. Politically, Facebook has found itself at the crossroads of a lot of controversies, especially during election years. The application has faced criticism from pundits and regulators over allegations that the technology is addictive and helps spread fake news to millions of users.
